Cardinals defensive tackle Tommy Kelly was cut by the Patriots in late August, but the veteran doesn’t seem to have any hard feelings. In fact, he actually sounds like he’s happier not playing in New England, and the 33-year-old questioned the team’s motivation in an interview with Darren Urban on the Cardinals website:
“I couldn’t take busting my tail every day getting to a game and them taking me out of the game for someone who I know isn’t better than me, because he’s a cheaper option. Are we worried about money here? Or are we worried about winning?”
Kelly isn’t the only player reportedly questioning the Patriots decision-making. Read below to find out who else may have issues with Bill Belichick and company…
- According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com), quarterback Tom Brady is “uncomfortable” with some of the Patriots’ personnel and coaching changes.
- If the Patriots continue to scuttle, the team will have an interesting decision to make with their franchise quarterback, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. If Brady is on the roster for the last game of this season, the final three years of his contract become fully guaranteed. When that inevitably happens, the Patriots will have to decide how much longer they want to roll with the future Hall of Famer.
- According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, the Patriots asked Logan Mankins to take a pay cut not long before ultimately trading the Pro Bowler. The writer questions whether Belichick was “exacting a measure of payback” for Mankins’ 2010 holdout.
- The decision to cut Kenbrell Thompkins was less about the player’s talent and more about flexibility for the Patriots, writes CSNNE.com’s Tom E. Curran.